It happened again: our little girl is headed back to preschool. This year’s first-day photos left us slack-jawed—she’s grown so much since the last picture we took on her previous first day. The change in her size, posture and expression was impossible to ignore, and we had fun documenting it.

We enjoyed revisiting the photos from last year (we keep a first-day photo tradition) and comparing faces and outfits. The differences were striking—just a reminder of how quickly little ones change. It was also a good excuse to revive our photo routine after the monthly photo project paused at her third birthday.

As soon as we started snapping pictures, familiar photo-direction moments reappeared. You know the ones: “Smile big!” followed by increasingly earnest attempts to understand exactly how big a smile should be. A little encouragement—”No, like you’re really happy and excited”—brought out some classic expressions that made us laugh.

She’s returning to the same preschool she attended last year, but this time she’s going three mornings a week instead of two. She’s excited to reunite with friends, meet new teachers and explore her refreshed classroom. We’re happy for her—and not going to pretend we’re not looking forward to a couple hours at home for quiet, focused work or just a slower pace.

One small downside: our new house adds about 15 minutes to the commute, so two round trips add up to roughly an extra hour on preschool mornings. It’s a trade-off we’re gladly making—she loves her school, and what we gain in her happiness is worth the extra driving time.

There was also an unexpected moment of model behavior. Out of nowhere she struck a confident little pose and gave us a mini runway strut. It was equal parts adorable and hilarious, and clearly she’s practicing a bit of showmanship.

Eventually she realized that picture-taking was delaying her reunion with friends. Her expression shifted to a patient-but-impatient “can we go now?” face—one we’ve seen before, and one that always makes us smile.

Before heading out, Sherry found a practical win: a school bag at an outlet for just $2. She labeled it with a red Sharpie like the school requests, so everything will stay clearly marked. Little victories like that—finding a great bargain, checking the last box on a morning to-do list—make these transitions smoother.

It’s always bittersweet watching how quickly our kids grow. There’s excitement, curiosity and confidence bundled into those first-day photos, along with the tug of nostalgia for the tiny versions of them we remember so well. We’ll keep taking these pictures, because someday we’ll be grateful for the record of these ordinary, fleeting moments.

How did the first day of school go for you? Whether it was a tear-filled goodbye, a triumphant walk into class, or a hurried morning of logistics, those first-day stories all add to the new school-year tradition.